The Class Act
by kattiarose
Summary: Serena and Darien are over, can they keep working together if she still loves him? She finds somebody else to fill the void in her heart, but that doesn't mean Rubeus can't get her.
1. Chapter 1

The Class Act by kattia_rose
    
     
    
    Discaimer: I do not own Sailormoon or any of the original characters
    
     
    
    Spoilers: tones and tones too many to name
    
     
    
    Notes:all author's notes occur throughout the fic
    
     
    
    The Class Act: Chapter 1
    
     
    
    Serena tore down the side walk, "Oh no, I'm late for school
    
    AGAIN!!" She passed by a dark haired jogger. She looked over her shoulder
    
    at him. He was familiar... 'Darien?' She faced forward, not wanting to trip
    
    and embarrass herself even more in front of him. She picked up the pace as
    
    tears burned behind her eyes. She turned the corner and *Wham*
    
    'I don't remember there being a brick wall here' she
    
    thought, tiny dark haired joggers running circles around her head.
    
    "Gosh, I'm SO sorry," said the wall. " I didn't see you,
    
    are you OK?" Serena looked up and her eyes bulged. She was staring into
    
    eyes the colour of gold. They didn't have the depth Darien's did or the
    
    incredible colour, but this guy's eyes, it was almost as if she could read
    
    his mind. In this case, the eyes really WERE the window to the soul.
    
    'Darien's eyes aren't as intense as this' she found herself thinking.
    
    "Yes, I'm fine," she responded. 'He isn't from around here.
    
    I would have noticed somebody this gorgeous' She looked him up and down.
    
    'Nice' He began picking up her scattered books. She observed from her
    
    position on the ground. 'Pecks of iron, abs of steel' he turned and bent to
    
    pick up another book. Her jaw dropped: 'Buns of bronze. Darien isn't like
    
    this, he's strong but not rippling!' she felt a shiver run up her spine.
    
    "I am SO,SO sorry I guess I wasn't looking where I was going
    
    are you sure you're ok? Here let me help you.." he held out his hand.
    
    "Uh, yeah, I'm fine." his bicep bulged as he pulled her to her
    
    feet. He handed her back her books and smiled a smile of incredible pearly
    
    whites. Serena went weak in the knees, he caught her and looked at her with
    
    concern. "I just uh... um..." she looked for an acceptable excuse
    
    "Can I carry your books?"
    
     
    
    Darien saw Serena fly past him and stopped when she looked
    
    back but started when he saw the collision. His heart once again met his
    
    throat. His heart lurched for, like the1000 000 time since he met the
    
    wonderful, blonde, bubbles of happiness, when saw the way she looked at
    
    him.... That ...GUY!!!
    
    'Serena, did I ever make your knees weaken like that?' A
    
    number of emotions ran through his body as she handed him her books without
    
    a second thought and strolled out of sight around the corner.
    
     
    
    Serena arrived at school in time for 2nd period. Ms H. was
    
    mad and gave Serena detention, but Serena barely noticed: she was thinking
    
    of the new guy she just met. She found out his name was Scott, and he
    
    wasn't from around here... from Canada.It turns out his mom's from the
    
    Juuban district and they just moved back. He's attending college in the
    
    area, same as Darien, though Serena hadn't realized it.
    
    "He plays rugby (Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know rugby is not
    
    a Japanese sport but I don't care, I LOVE rugby. I play it myself. Oh , for
    
    those who have never watched a rugby game, it's like soccer and football
    
    except there's more running and less gear. And they were really short
    
    shorts. So you see why I'm using it.) and he has a scholarship. He is sooo
    
    gorgeous, and sweet, and fit, and he carried my books and did I mention
    
    gorgeous?" Serena filled her friends in about the morning's events to
    
    gaping Amy, Lita and Mina during lunch. "He wants to get together again.
    
    I'm meeting him at the arcade after school, I'm gonna show him around
    
    town..." she noticed the looks she was getting from her friends. "Wha..?"
    
    "Uh.... Serena..." Lita said. "What about Darien?"
    
    "Darien?" Serena repeated, she hadn't thought of him since Scott
    
    offered to walk her to school. "He doesn't love me anymore remember?" she
    
    was angry at the painful reminder of her 'lost' love.
    
    "You can't believe that, can you?" Mina asked horrified"You love
    
    him, you can't just let him slip though your fingers!" she slammed her fist
    
    down on the lunch table dramatically. Lita and Amy sweatdroped as the
    
    entire cafeteria looked in their direction.
    
    "Very poetic, Mina"Serena said rather coldly, her good mood had
    
    vanished.'Why did they have to bring Darien up?'
    
    'Because, they have a right to' stated that little annoying
    
    voice in her head.'You're supposed to be together forever.'
    
    'He dumped me, remember?'
    
    'How could I forget.'
    
    'Shut up, both of you?' another voice put in.'Scott is
    
    gorgeous, he's nicer than Darien was.He's also in better shape.So
    
    what's the problem?'
    
    'He's not Darien'The first little annoying voice said.
    
    'We know!!'
    
     "Serena, Serena are you ok?" Lita, Amy and Mina looked at
    
    her questioningly.
    
     
    
    Serena headed for the arcade right after detention. She was
    
    actually on time.Serena spotted him immediately.
    
    "Scott" she called to him. He waved her over.Andrew came
    
    to take their order.Serena didn't notice the questioning look he gave
    
    her, she was too involved in the animated conversation with her new found
    
    hottie.
    
     
    
    Sailormoon, followed by the sailorscouts, leapt from roof
    
    top to roof top, chasing after a new monster.The youma didn't have a
    
    chance, Sailormoon easily dusted the creature.She also noticed Tuxedo
    
    Mask's presence though he hadn't pronounced it.
    
    "Sailormoon" he called from his hiding place."Well done."
    
    "Darien..." Sailormoon whispered, a fresh pain stabbed at
    
    her heartHe hated her, yet he still came, even when she didn't need him.
    
    His reason: "To keep them from winning" A pretty good reason at that.
    
     
    
    The next few days were calm and quiet.Renee didn't get
    
    into trouble, the Mega moon stayed out of the scouts hair.Serena barely
    
    thought about Darien, she was too busy having fun with Scott. She enjoyed
    
    that bit.Darien had hurt her so badly and until Scott came around, it was
    
    all Serena could do to keep from drowning in her tears.
    
    But now she had Scott, who had become a good friend.They
    
    went everywhere together.Serena needed this, she didn't have many good
    
    guy friends. Andrew was a friend of Darien's and an old crush of Serena's
    
    and recently she had been avoiding him to keep from bumping into Darien.
    
    Melvin was Molly's boyfriend and the other boys she new were her friends'
    
    boyfriends.
    
    Scott would pick her up after school if he could, they
    
    spent countless hours just talking and playing video games at the arcade.
    
    She went to his Rugby games and met his parents.They went for walks in
    
    the park and rides in the rowboats.They also went partying and he was a
    
    great dancer. Darien had never taken her dancing in this lifetime.
    
     
    
     


	2. Chapter 2

The Class Act by kattia_rose
    
    Chapter 2
    
     
    
    For Author's notes please see chapter 1.
    
    Enjoy.....
    
     
    
    Darien 'observed' the friends from afar. He still had the
    
    nightmares which forced him to push her away, but he kept an eye on them in
    
    case Scott tried anything. Serena saw him sometimes and it killed them
    
    both. She'd just look at him till Scott would follow her gaze, then pull
    
    her into a hug. As they'd turn, Scott would shake his head at Darien, then
    
    they'd walk away.
    
    Darien was sooo jealous of Scott. He kept telling himself that
    
    this was what he wanted for her. He still loved her.Of COURSE he still
    
    loved her, how could he not?
    
    BUT Scott was a perfect match for her. They loved all the
    
    same things, food, movies, music, anything. Even her dad loved him, that
    
    was one thing Darien never had. They'd have incredible debates, over
    
    nothing, that would always end in laughter. He NEVER called her meatball
    
    head.
    
    He often saw her at the college, walking on the grounds
    
    with Scott. Or jumping up and down, cheering for him at his games. She
    
    seemed to be happy when he was around.
    
     
    
    Darien hated himself for wishing she was still hooked on
    
    him, instead of this... this SCOTT person. He was disgusted with himself
    
    for wanting her to pine over him instead of having fun with Scott.
    
    But after a while he realized that they really weren't,
    
    well, meant for each other. His jealousy slowly faded, sort of, and he
    
    stopped 'observing' them. Scott wasn't going to hurt anyone, let alone
    
    Serena.
    
     
    
    'Darien and I never used to laugh like this.' Serena thought.
    
    'Uh-un girlfriend, he's much too serious. Always stressing
    
    over something.'
    
    'I miss him'
    
    'Yeah' the voice agreed
    
    "Serena you are too funny," Scott choked out.
    
    "Oh Scott" she sighed. "What would I do without you?"
    
    "Not much!" he grinned. They were lounging in the shade of
    
    their tree in the park.
    
     
    
    "Cute, athletic, sweet, smart AND modest..." Serena
    
    giggled.
    
    "Serena." a familiar voice called.
    
    "Raye!" she called back.
    
    "Serena, uhh.." the girl paused, eyeing Scott. "We're
    
    getting together around seven tonight at my house. Can you make it?"
    
    "Sure thing.Scott, remind me please, later, that I have a play
    
    date." she leaned back into his lap and looked into his intense eyes,
    
    grinning.
    
    "'Course, baby cakes."
    
    "I'll be there."
    
    "OK, I'll, uh, see you then." Raye turned and walked away
    
    slowly. Serena kinda felt bad, she'd been neglecting her friends lately,
    
    but she planned on making it up to them.
    
     
    
    "Hey Guys" Serena bounced into Raye's room at seven.
    
    "Wow, Serena, you're actually on time" Raye was in awe.
    
    "Yep, and no matter how mean you are to me you can't ruin
    
    my mood" Serena turned to the others "S'up?"
    
    "We're, uh... We're getting suspicious." Luna said.
    
    "We think the Mega Verse is planning something." Artimis
    
    put in. Both cats were curled up on Raye's bed.
    
    "OK, so what are we going to do?" Mina looked up from
    
    fiddling with Raye's sterio.
    
     
    
    "Could we set a trap?" Lita asked from behindthe manga
    
    she was reading.
    
    "That's not a bad idea. But how?" Luna asked.
    
    "What about using one of us to lure them away, then ambush
    
    them?" Raye offered.
    
    "I doubt they'd buy it." Amy spoke up
    
    "I know, we could use Renee!" Serena jumped up.
    
    "I don't know Serena, we could--" Amy was cut off.
    
    "-Be putting Renee in incredible danger, Stupid!" Raye spat.
    
    "Relax, Raye, have a cow, man! It was just a suggestion."
    
    Serena backed off, her hands spread in a sign of surrender.
    
    "You know what? It might actually work." Mina interrupted
    
    thoughtfully.
    
    "What!" Raye nearly fell over. Serena jumped out of Raye's
    
    reach.
    
    "Mina's right girls." Artimis mused. "If we're there, if it
    
    works, Renee could get away easily."
    
    "Hah!" Serena stuck her tongue out at Raye.
    
    "Someone should let Darien know." Luna said cautiously.
    
    "I'll do it" Serena volunteered.
    
    "Are you sure?" Amy asked.
    
    "Yeah, sure," she waved off her growing sorrow. She smiled
    
    and forced a cheery voice. "No prob, Bob. I'm way over that loser."
    
    "Good" Lita stated.
    
    "Now, we won't have to listen to you sob over him." Raye
    
    snorted.
    
    "RAYE!!" the other's chided.
    
     
    
    'It was their wedding day, and Serena looked more beautiful
    
    than ever before.
    
    ' "I'm so happy we're finally, finally getting married."
    
    ' " So am I. I love you, Serena." He bent his head to kiss her.
    
    ' "And I you." Their lips met.
    
    ' Serena was pulled form his grasp. She cried out to him,
    
    but then was gone.
    
    ' "Who are you? Why are you doing this? Leave me alone!"
    
    Darien screamed.
    
    ' "You must stay away from the princess. She is in great danger"
    
    the strange voice said.'
    
     
    
    Darien sat up in a sweaty panic. He was blinded by the
    
    sunlight the streaming through the blinds. He jumped at the sound of the
    
    phone ringing.
    
    "Hello?" he answered.
    
    "Darien? It's Serena, I--"
    
    "Serena, I don't want to talk to you." Darien responded coldly.
    
    "But--" her pleading voice was filled with frustration.
    
    "Serena," he forced his voice to sound frustrated too.
    
    'Serena, why can't you just accept this?' "Can't you understand that I
    
    don't love you anymore. I don't want to talk--"
    
    "Darien, SHETTUP!" Serena said, her voice rose. Darien
    
    stopped abruptly, surprised at her tone of voice. "I didn't call you up to
    
    beg you to come back to me. DUH! Get your ego in check, man!"
    
    'Man? When did she start talking like this?'
    
    She continued softer:" We're planning little get together
    
    with Rubeus and them folk. Get a clue!"
    
    "Oh" slap in the face "Then why did you call me."
    
    She sighed:" Weeee neeed yoooor hellllp."She sounded as
    
    if she was talking to a four year old. "Get it? Got it? Good!"
    
    'What's her problem?' Darien heard laughing in the back
    
    ground and her good natured yelling.
    
    "I'm sorry for snapping at you Darien." She apologized.
    
    "That's OK. I know you're not much of a morning person."
    
    "Morning person? Darien, it's 12:30." she laughed.
    
    "Shi-, I'm late." she laughed harder.
    
    "Be at the old port at Midnight." her laughing subsided.
    
    "Ciao baby!"
    
    * Click* Darien ran to get changed.
    
     
    
    'What an arrogant, pompous...' she searched her mind for
    
    words to describe Darien at that moment. She looked over at Scott, who was
    
    laughing at her facial expressions good heartedly "What's so funny?" she
    
    called to him, but he only laughed harder.
    
    When she was finished on the phone, she ran to Scott, who
    
    was waiting for her. They walked down the street, Scott's arm around her
    
    waist and her's around his.
    
    "Scott, I have to skip the party tonight." Serena said.
    
    "You still go, though, have fun and tell me ALL the gory details tomorrow."
    
    Scott laughed: "OK, it's too bad you can't come, though. It
    
    won't be any fun without you, ya know."
    
    "Don't I, though. Oh well, you'll survive. Hey maybe you'll hook
    
    up with someone without me hanging off you... Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge." He
    
    threw his head back in a peel of laughter. 'Scott's the best,' Serena
    
    thought, smiling.
    
    'He sure is.' a familiar voice agreed.
    
    'He just understands, he doesn't ask questions we can't
    
    answer.' another voice chimed in.
    
    'I love him.' Serena gave Scott a squeeze.
    
    'Me too'
    
    'Me three'
    
    'I miss Darien.' This new voice stood alone in Serena's
    
    mind. It had been suppressed all these months. Silently, Serena agreed. She
    
    felt the weight of sadness in her heart.
    
     
    
    "Serena? What's the matter?" Scott stopped and faced her.
    
    "What?" Serena snapped back to reality."Ohh... Nothing."
    
    She knew it was useless: Scott knew her too well.
    
    "Serena, you lie like a rug.There's something wrong. Tell me!"
    
    She looking into his eyes and saw the love and concern he had for her. She
    
    opened her mouth to tell him, but there was no need."It's Darien isn't
    
    it?"Serena nodded mutely.Scott pulled her to him as sobs began to rack
    
    her body.She cried out all the hurt and pain she hadn't had a chance to
    
    let go.Her tears soaked the front of Scott's shirt.And when she was
    
    finished, he pushed her away to look in her eyes
    
    "Thank you.I needed that." she whispered.He brushed away the
    
    stray tears.


	3. Chapter 3

The Class Act by kattia_rose
    
    Chapter 3
    
     
    
    For author's notes see chapter 1
    
    enjoy.....
    
     
    
    "OK, you guys ready?" Sailormoon asked her guardians. They
    
    all nodded. "Good! Renee, get out there." The pink haired girl ran into the
    
    center of the square, where the main streets met, at the old port. She
    
    clenched her muscles and scrunched her face in a worthless attempt to
    
    create a moonbeam. 'This isn't working' Sailormoon thought. Then a light
    
    bulb went off in her mind. "Renee, what's the matter with you?"
    
    Sailormoon's voice was harsh. "What are you waiting for? Get with it!
    
    Christmas is coming!" All the other scouts chided her and were embarrassed
    
    by Sailormoon's inappropriate behavior.
    
    "I'm trying!" Renee yelled.
    
    "This isn't going to work, Renee's useless" Sailormoon
    
    called to the Scouts loud enough for Renee to hear. "We'll have to think of
    
    something else. Renee can't do it."
    
    "I can so!" The now well known crescent beam shot into the
    
    sky. Seconds later the voices of four bickering women could be heard.
    
    "There you are!" Katsy's familiar tutu came into view.
    
    "Come here, Rabbit!" Prisma snaped.
    
    "OK guys, this is it." Sailormoon looked up a Tuxedo Mask,
    
    who nodded. "Get Renee out of here." Tux leapt onto the scene and away
    
    again, the child in his arms. He took her to safety as the Sailorscouts
    
    went through their speeches.
    
    There was a flash of light, and Rubeus and a youma appeared.
    
    Each scout paired off with a sister. Sailormoon went after the youma. It
    
    was large and ugly and mean. It was large breasted and broad shouldered.
    
    It blasted negative energy at our heroine.
    
    Sailormoon dodged, and got out her scepter. She was not fast
    
    enough. The youma blasted her. She was cornered and wounded. She'd droped
    
    her septer as she was thrown back.. The youma attacked her again. She had
    
    nowhere to go, nowhere to escape. The senshi were distacted from their
    
    separate battles and caught off guard. They landed on the other side of the
    
    square.
    
    Suddenly there was someone with Sailormoon. He tried to push her
    
    out of the line of fire but was hurt as well.
    
    "NOHO! Scott!" the injured man sank to his knees and
    
    Sailormoon caught him under the arms. They went down together. Sailormoon
    
    held her near dead friend against her, crying.
    
    "You never told me you were Sailormoon." He whispered into
    
    her ear. Scott smiled a sad smiled that made the girl weep harder. "That's
    
    OK... " His dead body sagged against her. Sailormoon laid his body to the
    
    floor. Calmly, quietly, she removed her brooch.
    
    "Sailormoon..." Venus whispered. The scouts were getting up
    
    from their unflattering positions. Sailormoon whispered to herself and the
    
    silver imperium crystal began to glow. Light filled the corner.
    
    Both, Sailormoon and Scott, began to shimmer. The others
    
    could see their auras blending as Sailormoon used the silver crystal to
    
    revive her friend.
    
    "Please let this work. Oh God, please" she whispered.
    
    "Scott, come back, please. I can't lose you now." It worked, Sailormoon
    
    could see his chest moving as air filled his lungs again. The scouts limped
    
    to her,
    
    "Are you alright?" Jupiter put a hand on Sailormoon's shoulder.
    
    "I will be." Sailormoon went and picked up her scepter.
    
    "Wait here." She walked towards the monster. She destroyed it in a second
    
    'It's your turn Rubeus.'
    
     
    
    Tuxedo Mask jumped to the group of scouts as Sailormoon
    
    advanced on Rubeus. Quizzically, she turned and looked at her comrades. The
    
    crystal was still glowing
    
    "This is my fight."
    
    'Oh no,' Tux thought, dreading what was coming next. A
    
    wave of power hit the group. It became solid and encased Scott in a
    
    protective bubble levitating off the ground
    
    "He'll be safe in there." Sailormoon turned and ran towards
    
    Rubeus and the sisters. "It's your turn now."
    
    "I doubt that, Miss Moon." Rubeus and his female companions
    
    surrounded her. "You won't beat us this time"
    
    "That's a matter of opinion." Sailormoon spun her septer,
    
    ready to attack.
    
    "Katsy, Birdie, Prisma, Avery, go back to the ship." Rubeus
    
    ordered them.
    
    "Yes sir." The sisters vanished.
    
    "Let's go.." Sailormoon challenged him.
    
    'God, Serena' Tux prayed. He looked at Sailormoon, who was
    
    having a stairing contest with Rubeus.
    
    Rubeus lunged for her, she dodged him. She aimed her septer
    
    at her opponent. Rubeus was quick and threw a handful of bombs at her. She
    
    slammed into the wall of a nearby building, cracking the cement. She landed
    
    on her feet and attacked with her scepter, wounding Rubeus.
    
    They fired at the same time, causing a large explosion of
    
    light that threw them both back. Sailormoon got up first. Anger fueled her
    
    determination.
    
    "Come on guys, we godda help her." Mars cried
    
    "No!!" Tux held her back. "Respect her whishes." 'Serena, be
    
    careful.' Tux urged the blond with his mind.
    
    "Huh? Wha, what's going on?" Scott stood up shakily, leaning
    
    against the bubble walls. "Where's Serena, is she OK?" He looked at Tuxedo
    
    Mask: "Darien..."
    
    "Rubeus, be healed." Sailormoon's voice could be heard. They all
    
    looked to see Sailormoon standing over her enemy, the crystal glowing
    
    again. She removed it from her brooch.
    
    "No.." Rubeus protested causing Sailormoon to start.. He reached up
    
    and took hold of the crystal. Sailormoon cried out in pain making Scott scream and pound on the encasing walls.
    
    Tux found himself routed to the spot, fear freezing him.
    
    None of the others made moves to help.
    
    "If he gets that crystal she'll die." Mercury blubbered
    
    the truth no one wanted to believe.
    
    'Come on, Serena. You can beat him.' Tuxedo Mask pleaded
    
    with his mind. Sailormoon's crystal kept glowing brighter and brighter,
    
    emitting power. The bubble walls collapsed, sending Scott tumbling to the
    
    ground. Sailormoon had Rubeus on his knees, the light the crystal was
    
    giving of was blinding. Tux could hear her whispering.
    
    "Be healed, accept purification."
    
    "Never!" he whispered back.
    
    'I'm sorry, he won't--' Tux's thoughts were cut off as
    
    Rubeus started laughing. He saw Sailormoon's expression change.
    
    Tux and the sailorscouts stood and watched as the scene
    
    unfolded. A dark cloud began to swirl around the two. The crystal began to
    
    flicker, Sailormoon didn't have much energy left. Her sailor fuku dissolved
    
    into ribbons that hung loosely around her. The cloud became thicker and
    
    darker, enveloping them. The cloud filled the square, Tux found he couldn't
    
    see anything. He and the others coughed and screamed at Sailormoon.When
    
    the mist cleared Sailormoon and Rubeus where gone.
    
     
    
     
    
     
    
    Ohhh, cliff hanger... What will happen next?
    
     


	4. Chapter 4

The Class Act: Chapter 4
    
     
    
    The Continuation of The Class Act:Chapter 3.....
    
    Enjoy
    
     
    
    Again, for notes, see chapter 1
    
     
    
    It had been several hours since Rubeus and Sailormoon disappeared. Tux, the Scouts and Scott where all hanging around the site, waiting and trying think of their next move.
    
    'Why didn't I do something? Why didn't I help?' Tuxedo Mask questioned and blamed himself.
    
    'Because she asked you not to.' his mind argued.
    
    'THAT'S NO EXCUSE'
    
    'Serena's a trooper, she may not seem like it, but she is. You know that.She's stronger than all of us.'
    
    'I'm supposed to protect her,' Tux buried his face in his hands.'It's my duty to protect her from any harm.'
    
    'Well, you hurt her more than any evil could....'
    
    Tux tried to banish these thoughts from his mind, but it didn't work: 'You lied' his mind, or was it his heart, gave up the futile attempts to make sense of this.The voice had become honest, brutally.'You lied to her'
    
    'It was for her own good' Tux tried to convince himself.
    
    'You could have told her the truth.She would have understood.'
    
    'She would have never gone along with it'
    
    'OK, you're right there.She doesn't care what happens to her.'
    
    'EXACTLY....I still hurt her, though.'
    
    'Yes you did.' the voice agreed.The sane part, well, sort of, let him know the harsh truth: 'You're crazy, you know.Arguing with yourself like this.'
    
    "Shut-" he said aloud but was interrupted by Sailor Mercury's voice.
    
    "Darien, are you OK?You look kind of sick."
    
    "No, I'm not OK," he looked away, ashamed of the tone he'd taken on."I shouldn't have let him take her. I should have..."
    
    "We all 'should have'" Jupiter's tear choked voice caught his attention.They looked over at her.She was facing the wall."It's our duty to protect her and ...and we failed." She slammed her fist into the wall. The earth rumbled and the plaster cracked.
    
    "Jupiter!" Mars's voice was urgent.
    
    "Sailor Scouts," Rubeus appeared, Sailormoon hung limply in his arms."I return her to you."
    
    "What did you do to her?" Mars screamed.
    
    "Silly girl, she's fine.She's of no use to us.You can have her back now."Rubeus dropped the Scout leader.
    
    Tuxedo Mask's heart lurched.She fell into his arms.'Serena please be OK.'
    
    "Serena!" The Scouts sprinted over to where he laid her body.
    
    "Serena!" Mars knelt over Sailormoon unconscious form."Serena, wake up!"
    
    "How is she?" Tux heard Scott's voice from behind.Tux had forgotten he was there.
    
    "She's been drained," Mercury stated. "She's not breathing..."
    
    Scott knelt by Sailormoon and the Scouts moved away.Scott put a finger to her pulse.Tuxedo Mask felt a jealous rage through him as Scott put his lips to hers and began CPR.After a few minutes, Sailormoon began to splutter and choke as she pulled air into her lungs.Scott helped her sit up. She hugged him close before each scout took her turn in an embrace with their leader.Her eyes finally settled on Tux.She drew in a shaky sigh at the sight of him.
    
    They all watched as she de-transformed; the rest followed suit.She was helped to her feet only to sink to the ground.
    
    'Oh no! What's wrong?' Tux's heartbeat wavered.
    
    "It's alight.I'm just weak, that's all"
    
    'That's all?' Tux thought. 'Could've fooled me.'
    
    "I just need to get some sleep." Serena assured her friends.
    
    "I'll take you home." Scott volunteered.
    
    'Oh, I'm so glad your services could be available' Tux thought sarcastically.
    
    "We'll talk later, 'K guys?"Serena looked at her shaken friends."Everything will be all right, you'll see." Scott scooped her upover-the-threshold-style.She clung to him as he carried her away.
    
    'I could have done that.' Tux told himself.He could see the sun peeking up on the horizon and decided it was time to go home.
    
     
    
    "So what happened last night?"They were at Amy's house, Raye had to stay late at school and wasn't around to play hostess.
    
    "Luna, I honestly don't know what to say.I don't remember ANYthing.I' m sorry..."
    
    "It's all right, Serena, no pressure." Amy was looking at her mini-computer."Well, I don't see any traces of negative energy… I think everything will be OK."
    
    "That's great!" Serena said happily. "Can I go now?I still have stuff to do."She yawned.
    
    "Yeah, I guess so" Luna sighed as the blond left the room.
    
    "You all right, Luna?" Artemis asked.
    
    "Well, I don't know.I've got the feeling something with her is very off. "
    
    "Yeah... "Amy agreed.
    
    "It'll come to her," Artemis soothed Luna.
    
    "Artemis is right Luna, she just doesn't remember ," Mina put in."It must have been a very traumatic experience.She's just suppressing it."
    
    "Lita are you all right?You seem kinda out of it," Amy asked, looking towards the brunette sprawled over Amy's bed.She hadn't said a word since they'd gotten there.
    
    "She seems worried or on edge or something.She's, oh, I don't know, like she's always looking over her shoulder or something...She's different, she was almost RUDE," tears began to well up in her big greeneyes."The Serena we know would never have said or done anything like the girl who just left did.There is definitely something wrong."
    
    "Do you think Rubeus did something to her?" Mina moved to comfort her friend.
    
    "But I scanned her, she's clean!" Amy argued.
    
    "Are you sure you did it right?" Lita asked.
    
    "What's that supposed to mean?"
    
    "Just what it sounds like!" Lita spat.
    
    "Girls, girls, "Artemis interrupted. "Calm down.You tired andcranky- "
    
    "-and irritable" Luna mumbled.
    
    "-and you should go home and rest."
    
    Lita sighed: "I'm sorry Amy.I need to go home."
    
    "We should get going too." Mina picked Artemis up and followed Lita out the door.
    
    'He just left her.He didn't kill her or take the Crystal or...'Amy thought.'That's odd...'
    
     
    
    Days went by and there was no sign of Rubeus or the four sisters.And Serena continued to act differently.Darien spoke with Amy, Mina and Raye often after the "event", asking about Serena.He always made sure she was all right, physically anyway.
    
    Lita refused to speak to him. She was angry with him for reasons he could not comprehend, being of the weaker sex and all.He suspected it had to do with the breakup, the "event" and her loyalty to Serena.Darien just stayed out of her way.Lita was strong, probably not as strong as him, but he dared not take ANY chances.
    
    He saw Serena at the arcade, sitting by herself, avoiding everybody: Andrew, Scott, the scouts, Luna and Artemis, Molly and Melvin even her family, according to Amy.It was rare that she was seen with anyone.That's what scared him so much.She was never alone, well, until the "event" that is.He was worried about her.He had a feeling it had to do with Rubeus.
    
    How right he was.


	5. Chapter 5

The Class Act:Chapter 2
    
    By kattia_rose
    
     
    
    For all notes and disclaimers see chapter 1
    
    *…* indicates sound effects
    
    What will happen next? Find out...
    
     
    
    Two weeks went by and Darien was becoming agitated.He ached for
    
    action, he needed to fight some evil.Darien was restless.Still no
    
    monsters, no Rubeus, no evil.He was on edge.He wanted a fight and boy
    
    did he get one.
    
    He was trying to get rid of some energy (or tension depending on
    
    the way you look at it) when Amy called.
    
    "Hello?"
    
    "Darien? Amy." the girl's frantic voice came over the line
    
    "What's going on?"
    
    "There's trouble... at the old port."
    
    "I'll be there." *Click*
    
    Darien quickly transformed and made his way to the old port.
    
    "Mercury!" he called down to her."What's going on?"
    
    "Rubeus!" the wordwas enough.Actually it wasn't.Darien was,
    
    in no way, prepared for what was coming to him,
    
    He looked around the group.Jupiter, Venus, Mars, Mercury , but no
    
    Moon.
    
    'She'll be hear, she'd never let them down.'Then he spotted her.
    
    Serena was standing off to the side in her street clothes.'What's she
    
    doing?'She then disappeared into a dark alley.'Good girl' He thought
    
    she was going to transform.He was half right; she was going to change.
    
    His attention was diverted from the girl he adored to a figure
    
    that had just appeared in the sky.
    
    "Rubeus.."
    
    "Good evening" (Dracula style)
    
    'How long does it take for that girl to transform?'
    
    "What a pleasure.I had hoped you would come.And now my wish
    
    comes true, you have truly made my night." (It's from 'Phantom of the
    
    Opera')
    
    "How very poetic!" Jupiter called."You should write it down, you
    
    know, make a collection!" her voice dripping in sarcasm.
    
    "Yes, yes, I should, shouldn't I." Rubeus seemed to think about
    
    that. "You mortals are very amusing.Aren't they, love?"
    
    'Who's he talking to?Where is Sailormoon?' The thought nagged
    
    him. He began to feel VERY uneasy.
    
    "Yes, they are, darling," Tuxedo Mask looked up and saw a woman
    
    with Rubeus. His eyes bugged at the blond in Rubeus' embrace.It wasn't
    
    one of the sisters, that's for sure.
    
    She wore a long dark over coat (like the one Shania Twain wears in
    
    her 'Man I feel like a Woman' video) that was way to big for her.
    
    Tux's eyes fell on her face.She had big, familiar blue eyes.
    
    "Serena..."
    
    Her lips were tinted a blue purple color (the color our lips turn
    
    when you're really cold).The same color streaked her hair, which was
    
    woven into a long French braid down to her knees.The blue purple color
    
    was dusted onto her eyelids.The black crescent moon on her forehead
    
    completed her look.
    
    Tux looked her up and down as she snuggled with Rubeus.He didn't
    
    know what to do. He was frightened and he couldn't understand why.A
    
    breeze came by and blew open Serena's coat causing Tux's jaw to drop.She
    
    wore a tight halter top, the color of her lips andlow-slung, hip-hugging
    
    black pants.Black high heeled boots were on her feet.
    
    'She looks.. sexy, so sophisticated.'
    
    'Not trampy at all, like the sisters.'
    
    'There's something about her that's...' Tux noticed.
    
    'Still Serena? Yeah,' the voice in his mind agreed.
    
    'Her eyes.. They're still pure and...innocent...' Tux was
    
    confused, why was she giving him this impression?
    
    Rubeus turned her face towards his and kissed her. Jealousy, now a
    
    very, VERY well known feeling, burned in him.Rubeus kissed her as he,
    
    himself, had not dared to kissed her.Passionately, hard, fully.Oh, she
    
    and Darien had made out in their brief time together, but he'd never kissed
    
    her as Rubeus kissed her that very moment.
    
    "Darling," she said, pulling away."What are you going to do to them?"
    
    "You mean what are WE going to do with them?"He kissed her neck.
    
    "Of course."
    
    There was a flash and a staff appeared in Serena's hand.It was
    
    similar the one that belonged to Queen Beryl.
    
    "What are we going to do?" Mars asked.
    
    "Is this real?" Jupiter was stunned.
    
    "'Fraid so girls," Tux called to them.
    
    "It's not like we can fight her," Venus pointed out."Mercury, can
    
    you find out a way to bring her back? A weakness, maybe?"
    
    "I'll give it a try," she took out her tiny computer and began
    
    tapping away madly.
    
    Tux felt breath on his ear.
    
    "Well, well, well, if it isn't little Endymion?" she brushed her
    
    lips against his skin.
    
    Tuxedo Mask swallowed hard.
    
    'Why did she call me 'Endymion?''
    
    'Because it's your name stupid.They're from the future,'
    
    'SHETTUP,'
    
    'You can't tell me to shettup.'He looked at Serena to find her
    
    looking at him questioningly.His eyes widened as he noticed the crescent
    
    on her forehead.It was still upside down as Rubeus', but hers was gold.
    
    She smiled at him. Tux nearly fell from his perch on the lamppost.
    
    'No way' Tux felt himselfbecoming numb.Serena laughed then
    
    returned to Rubeus side.
    
    "I'll leave you now, play nice." Rubeus told her.
    
    "Don't worry, I won't," She grinnedmischievously.She pulled
    
    Rubeus, by his vest, and kissed him. He, then, vanished.
    
    "Now for some fun..." she smirked.
    
    "What do we do?" Mars cried.
    
    "Mercury? How's it going?" Tux had trouble keeping his voice from
    
    squeaking.
    
    "This is the--" Mercury broke off.Serena was right behind her
    
    looking over Mercury's shoulder at her computer.
    
    "Hmmm, little miss brainy-ac." Serena touched to ball of her staff
    
    to Mercury's computer and the scene went black.There were blips and
    
    bleeps and smoke.Sailor Mercury cried out as she dropped the tool."It's
    
    not nice to leave the other kids out of all the fun," she over exaggerated
    
    a sickly sweet voice.Serena gave Mercury the look you might give to a
    
    four year oldchild who had been "leaving all the other kids out of the
    
    fun."
    
    "Serena, what are you doing?" Jupiter whispered cautiously.
    
    "Stupid question, Jupiter!" Serena spat, turning to the brunette.
    
    "What do you think I'm doing?"Jupiter took a few quick steps back.She
    
    raised her hands to her shoulder, palms forward.
    
    "Serena..... Serena.." a look of panic developed on Jupiter's face
    
    as the blond advanced on her."Don't do this!" Tux watched as the crystal
    
    orb thing began to glow menacingly.He could only guess what was coming
    
    next.
    
    "Serena, I know you're in there somewhere"Mars' voice stopped
    
    Serena in her tracks
    
     "Oh really?"Serena snarled. "'Mmmm, you know what? Uh-un,"
    
    (Vancome Lady, Mad TV)Tuxedo Mask looked past Serena at Mercury, who had
    
    knelt to pick up her smoldering computer.
    
    *Zoink* Serena spun abruptly and used the glowing staff to 'zap'
    
    the blue hared girl.Mercury cried out and toppled backwards at the bolt
    
    of energy.
    
    "Serena, how could you?"
    
    "Mars, she's not Serena." Tuxedo Mask called form his perch. 'What
    
    am I still doing up here?' He leapt to the street."She may look like
    
    her-" he looked at the woman her loved. "well sort of, and she may sound
    
    like her.But she's not Serena."Serena smirked, but Tux saw something
    
    else in her eyes.Was it... gratitude?
    
    'Gratitude, pffff, yeah right.Your eyes are playing tricks on
    
    you.' Tux's practical sense told him.
    
    "No, it can't be..."Mars begged, but he saw it on her face that
    
    she knew it was pointless to argue.She lowered her head.
    
    *Dzzit* again Serena turned and fired a bolt of energy.This time
    
    it was aimed at Venus, who had bent to gather up the pieces of Mercury's
    
    computer.Mercury, herself, was getting up shakily as Venus slammed into
    
    her from the force of the negative energy.They both went sprawling.
    
    Jupiter went to Mercury and Venus' aid.
    
    "Well, this has been fun, but I have places to destroy and people
    
    to kill.I've got to waste you and be on my way.OK?" Serena held her
    
    staff over her head as the crystal began to glow brighter.She pointed
    
    the crystal to the sky as she floated into the air.The sky darkened as
    
    clouds formed above her.She waved the staff around dramatically.She,
    
    then, pointed it at the Scouts and a wave of magic hit them.Tux and the
    
    other's were sent flying.
    
    "All in a days work," she said pleased with herself.
    
     
    
    Dan, dan, dan......


	6. Chapter 6

The Class Act: Chapter 6
    
    By Kattia_rose
    
     
    
    Disclaimer: you know the drill, I don't own 
    
    sailormoon, bla bla bla.Enjoy the story!!
    
     
    
    Author's notes occur throughout the story.
    
     
    
    Thanx for all the feedback, I really appreciate it!
    
     
    
    "You underestimated us!" Jupiter managed to call.
    
    "What still breathing?" Serena sounded amused.
    
    "JUPITER THUNDER CLAP CRASH!!" Serena held out her staff, the
    
    lightning bounced off without harming her. Serena prepared to attack again
    
    'Come on, Tux, you need to do it!' Tux told himself.
    
    'But it's Serena!'
    
    'No, it's not!'he assured himself.'If you don't she'll--' Tux
    
    didn't want to think about it.
    
    Serena was about to fire when a rose came at her.She stopped and
    
    plucked it right out of the air.She brought it to her nose and sniffed.
    
    "Aww, how sweet," She caressed the soft petals.
    
    'How did she do that?' Tux was baffled, his jaw hung to the floor.
    
    "How did she do that?" Mars gasped."Is that possible?"
    
    Tux couldn't say a thing.He stood there shaking his head in
    
    disbelief.He watched her bite her lip, he found it sexy.Even evil, she
    
    was still so sexy.
    
    The soft look she wore hardened.She held the rose away from her
    
    and slowly let go.It stayed in the air for a moment then vanished.
    
    "I'll have to put it in some water," she voice dripped with venom.
    
    "Now where were we? Oh yes.."The sky darkened again and Tux could feel
    
    electricity in the air.
    
    'Don't do it, Serena, please' his mind begged silently.
    
    "Serena, please, we can help you" Mars called."We can help you
    
    fix this."
    
    "Serena, think, we're not going to fight you." Mercury cried.
    
    "Well then that should make my job much easier.But then… what
    
    would the fun be in that?Hmmmmm... Oh well..." she shrugged her
    
    shoulders comically and continued with the attack.
    
    The scouts jumped out of the way, but we're not prepared for a
    
    second immediate attack.They were all slammed into the ground or wall or
    
    whatever hard that the energy pushed them into.
    
    "Darling," a voice said, "having fun?" Arms encircled her waist.
    
    Tux couldn't believe his eyes when her saw her flinch at Rubeus's touch.
    
    This he knew he saw.
    
    "Of course," she reached back and touched his face as he kissed her
    
    neck.The Crystal on her staff stopped glowing and the sky cleared.
    
    They're lips met.Out of the corner of his eye he saw Venus gag.
    
    'So this was the way Serena must have felt when I was with Beryl..'
    
    "What about them?" Serena asked pulling away.
    
    "Hmmmmm...?"Rubeus murmured.
    
    "Them, those silly sailor tramps!"
    
    "Hey!" Venus protested.
    
    "We have to get back , the wise man wants to see us," Rubeus told her.
    
    "The Wiseman?" she sounded disgusted. She pouted, "But I wanted to
    
    finish off the sailor soldiers.."
    
    "You can finish them off later."
    
    "Oh, OK.. "The couple vanished.
    
     
    
    "Can you fix it?" Mina asked over Amy's shoulder.They were
    
    looking at Amy's broken computer.
    
    "I don't know..."
    
    "Well, she can't very well fix it with you standing over her like
    
    that."Lita came over and pulled Mina onto Raye's bed.
    
    The group had just finished filling Luna and Artimis in about "the
    
    recent events."It was near sunrise and they didn't have a clue what to do
    
    next.
    
    Amy heaved a sigh of frustration: "I don't know what to do!" The
    
    girl looked close to tears."I know that when I scanned her there wasn't
    
    any negative energy or at least not enough for my computer to detect.And
    
    even then it shouldn't have effected her!"
    
    "It's OK Amy, maybe Rubeus got to her after you scanned her," Lita said.
    
    "But she was acting weird that first day," Mina put in curiously.
    
    "Maybe it was hidden of locked in some way so your computer couldn't detect
    
    it."
    
    "That's a good reason, but I don't think it's possible," Artimis stated.
    
    "Well at least we know what wrong with her now," Raye said."It
    
    was so weird, her being all withdrawn an' stuff..."
    
    "Yes but this new Serena doesn't sound any better." Luna put in.
    
    "You're telling' me!" she replied flatly.
    
    "Lita, one question.." Amy's voice was barely audible."How could
    
    you attack her, even is she was evil?"
    
    Lita bowed her head: "I don't know, I just don't know.."
    
    "Well you girls are going to have to get used to it," Artimis said.
    
    "To get her back, you'll have to weaken her to get her to... to...
    
    Where's the Silver Crystal?"
    
    Everyone looked at everyone else bug eyed.
    
    "The Silver Crystal..."
    
     
    
    "Mina, Mina!!" Renee called, running up to the girl."What
    
    happened last night?Serena never came home!Not that that's something
    
    new,"She added lightly.
    
    "Renee, maybe you better come to Raye's with me," the pink hared
    
    girl nodded."I'm waiting for Amy and Lita and when we get to Raye's, well
    
    fill you in."Renee looked at her friend concerned but said nothing.
    
    Just then Lita walked up, a sad, worn look on her face.
    
    "Where's Amy?" Mina asked.
    
    "She'll be along in a minute."
    
    The four stood in silence until Amy arrived.
    
    'Something really bad must have happened.Something's definitely
    
    gone wrong.'Renee said to herself.'Is it Serena?'but still Renee kept
    
    her thoughts to herself as the group walked quietly.
    
    They reached Raye's, where they found three gloomy souls lay about.
    
    Renee took a deep shuddering breath, preparing herself for bad news, very
    
    bad news.Raye, Luna, Artimis barley stirred as the four girls came into
    
    the room.At first nobody said a word.Renee broke the silence, with a
    
    blunt, straight forward question that made them all wince:
    
    "What happened to Serena?"
    
    Silence...
    
    "That bad, hun?"she sat down next to Amy and felt her shiver.
    
    She looked over at her friend to find her hunched over, her face hidden
    
    behind one hand, her smashed mini computer in the other. Renee took it
    
    gently.She turned it over and over in her small hands.
    
    "Serena did this?" she dreaded hearing the details."I knew she
    
    was acting weird, but this...Far out..."
    
    "Where's Serena?What happened to her? What have you done to her?"
    
    an angry voice cried from the doorway.
    
    "Scott!" Amy exclaimed jumping up.(Don't ask how he got there!)
    
    "We didn't do anything," a new voice said from behind Scott.It
    
    was barely audible, bit all heard.
    
    "Darien!"
    
    "Come in,"Raye sighed as the two new comers joined the mourners.
    
     
    
    Two weeks went by with no sign of the new and not so improved
    
    Serena, although the four weird sisters continued to torment to Sailor
    
    Scouts.Miraculously the Scouts won the battles with barley any injury,
    
    save the broken hearts they all already suffered from.All who knew Serena
    
    mourned her.
    
    Darien had trouble with school and work. Scott disappeared from the
    
    face of the earth, for all we know, anyway.All the girls' grades dropped.
    
    And Luna and Artimis, searched unsuccessfully for their leader.
    
     


	7. Chapter 7

The Class Act: Chapter 7
    
    by kattia_rose
    
     
    
    Just so you know, the entire story is finished.It'll just take me some time to finish uploading on ff.net.
    
    Please be patient.
    
    Thanx and enjoy the story!!
    
     
    
    Serena sat at Amy's computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
    
    "Password accepted" flashed on the screen.
    
    "Amy, I'm very disappointed in you," she said shaking her head.
    
    She read the document at a speed Superman would be jealous of.Serena had
    
    gained strength, agility, speed and more powers than thought imaginable.
    
    She put all the X-men (put together) to shame."Well, Amy, you certainly
    
    don't know much.You're supposed to be a real brain, and you have next to
    
    nothing on the present situation." Meaning Serena's conversion to the
    
    megaverse, and any possible cures for her."Disappointing indeed."
    
    Suddenly there was a commotion just outside, Serena ducked out of
    
    sight.Lita walked in followed by the rest of the scouts and Renee.All,
    
    save Raye, lounged around the room.Raye went on to inform everyone else
    
    of her feelings, visions, and theories.
    
    "The only real problem we have here, is the missing Silver
    
    Millennium Crystal" (reference: The Class Act Part 2, Chapter 3)
    
    "What do you mean, the only problem?" Lita asked loudly. "Hello,
    
    Serena's evil, and , and was lip locking with Rubeus!!" She shivered at the
    
    idea.
    
    "Well, once we have the Silver Crystal, getting Serena back should
    
    be a breeze." Raye stated
    
    "Not necessarily," Luna put in, "we have to remember that the only
    
    person who can use the Crystal, is...Serena."The group remained silent
    
    for a moment.
    
    "Okay, so two major problems." Raye raised her eyebrows."I've
    
    been trying to tap into her energy,I mean, Rubeus has got to be feeding
    
    her some kind of negative force, that's keeping her evil. Right?But I
    
    haven't had any luck-" Raye broke off.
    
    "Disappointing indeed."A strange woman had Raye in her grasp.
    
    "Raye, dear, what ever happened? I thought you were, air quote, psycic.
    
    And yet you were completely caught off guard."She held Raye against her
    
    with a sword,a very sharp looking sword.Raye stared at it wide-eyed.
    
    She shook her head sadly.She looked up at the others, who had jumped up
    
    and were ready to transform.She smiled wryly,"Relax kids, there isn't
    
    time to tango right now, I'll be on my way in a minute.Cool down, man.
    
    "Let her go!" Lita said, her tone threatening.She shoved Raye
    
    into Mina, creating a domino effect.In half a second, all the girls lay
    
    in a heap on the floor.
    
    "There you go," She said sweetly.
    
    "Who are you?"
    
     
    
    "She hesitated, like she had to think about it.She was really
    
    weird."Amy filled Darien in on the events, he did have a right to know,
    
    didn't he?
    
    "What did she say?"
    
    "She said her name was Marie Lune.Which is French for Mary Moon."
    
    "I knew that."Darien said, a hint in indignance in his voice.
    
    Amy rolled her eyes: "That's not important."
    
    "What else did she say?"
    
    "She said she was here to help, that a friend had sent her.But
    
    the freakiest part is that Raye didn't even feel here presence until she'd
    
    shown it to all of us.Her appearance was quite odd as well."
    
    "In our line of work, and you still think her appearance was "quite
    
    odd?" Darien interjected.
    
    "Well it was different than we've seen from the megaverse.She was
    
    very beautiful, her skin and hair were pure white, not a single blemish."
    
    "You mean she had pale skin?"
    
    "No, I mean white, snow white!And, that's not the strangest part
    
    either;her eyes, they were white, too."
    
    "Huh? I don't understand."
    
    "I'm saying, she didn't have any pupils or irises.Totally white!"
    
    "That is strange.So what are the theories on your end?" Darien
    
    asked, intrigued.
    
    "Well, Luna and Artimis say she could be from the future."
    
    "Whoa"
    
    "Yeah, Lita thinks it's a trick, so does Raye."
    
    "And you?"
    
    "Well," Amy paused a moment to ponder her take on the situation.
    
    "It could be both, or neither.I'm willing to trust her, if it means we
    
    can get Serena back, alive and well."
    
    "That does make sense."
    
    "What about you?"
    
    "Well I was there, tell me more about her."
    
    "She was peculiar, she didn't wear any clothes."On his end on the
    
    line Darien raised an eyebrow."She wasn't naked," she said, reading his
    
    thoughts."She wore some sort on body suit, it clung to her body like it
    
    was painted on.She also carried a sword.Luna said it was called a
    
    katana,the old ninjas used them. Luna said she hasn't seen one since back
    
    on the moon.You had to be a true master to even poses one, let alone use
    
    one.Only the strongest and most agile could use them.They're incredibly
    
    sharp."
    
    "How did she get away?"
    
    "Poof!"
    
    "Poof?"
    
    "Poof. Dust."
    
     
    
    "Amy, you will never believe what just happened,"Lita blurted
    
    excitedly.Amy raised her eyebrows at the brunette, as she entered Raye's
    
    room."Look."She did.It was a potted plant, a vine to be exact, with
    
    beautiful white flower buds over it.
    
    "What is it?"
    
    "A plant," Raye said dully.
    
    "Duh." Amy put in, taking a seat next to Lita.She took the plant,
    
    touching the buds gently."It's beautiful."
    
    "It came with this."Mina handed her a white card.
    
    " 'I will return when the Moon lower Vine blooms.' " Amy read
    
    aloud."That's what this is then."She looked at the card again.At the
    
    bottom was a crescent, crudely drawn in black ink, as was the rest of the
    
    note.
    
    "The Moonflower Vine.Luna have you ever heard of this before."
    
    Raye asked.
    
    Luna nodded, "Mmm, I have.It's called the Moonflower Vine because
    
    it blooms when the new moon rises.The flowers die before sunrise."
    
    "So when's the next new moon?" Lita asked, checking her calendar.
    
    "Tomorrow," Amy said. "And we'll be ready."
    
     
    
    "The girls, in their sailor fuku, Luna and Artimis and Tuxedo Mask
    
    stood on the roof of the temple with the Moon flower Vine.The moon was
    
    rising.Tux held the card tensely in his gloved hand as the sliver of
    
    moon appeared in the night sky.They all turned to watch the buds open.
    
     
    
    At first nothing happened, all of a sudden there was movement.
    
    "Look the first ones opening," Jupiter cried excitedly.The
    
    flower opened quickly, the vine danced as the petals unfurled, bearing the
    
    ruby in the center.It was like a wave of white as the other buds
    
    bloomed, revealing their own red jewel.A magical moment.
    
    Sailor Mercury bent to examine the flower, "Incredible.I've
    
    never seen anything like it.The center, what is it?"She looked at
    
    Artimis.Then there was a roaring from the edge of the roof.
    
    The scouts turned to see a sleek white lioness leapt to the roof.
    
    She snarled.There was a chorus of 'Uh- Ohs' as it advanced on the group.
    
    Then the oddest thing happened, it leapt into the air, into one to those
    
    impossible back flips Luna and Artimis are always doing.Went it landed
    
    it was no longer the lioness, the but Marie Lune.She smiled at the bug
    
    eyed looks she received from the scouts.
    
    "Beautiful aren't they?" she said gesturing to the vine.The
    
    flowers were already drooping some."Very rare."
    
    "How did you do that?"Mars asked, awed by the transformation.
    
    Marie Lune said nothing.
    
    Tuxedo Mask saw that all he hand learned about this was true.Not
    
    clothes were evident, but she wasn't naked.The only garment she wore was
    
    a belt which held her katana.He also noted her colour, or lack there of.
    
    She noticed the analytical look he was giving her.
    
    "Well, we're here, why did you ask us here." Jupiter said, she
    
    looked at the woman darkly.
    
    "I'm on your side.I'm here to help."
    
    "We've already established that." Jupiter said snidely.
    
    "You didn't believe me."
    
    "We still don't," Mercury said, stepping between Jupiter and the
    
    white haired woman."You haven't given us any reason to."
    
    With that Marie Lune held out her hands, pressed, palms together.
    
    I light filtered through her fingers.She opened her hands slowly, the
    
    light growing brighter.She held the Silver Crystal.
    
    "No way!" Mars exclaimed.
    
    "Do you believe me now?"
    
    Behind the group, Tux and the cats whispered frantically.
    
    "How can we tell if that's the real deal?"
    
    "I don't think it's possible to recreate the Silver Crystal." Luna
    
    answered. "It has to be the real thing."
    
    "But the real thing can only be manipulated by a member of the
    
    royal family..." Artimis trailed off.
    
    "Then how come she's using it and not... dust?For lack of a
    
    better word."Tux asked, watching the stranger.
    
    "I don't know." Artimis and Luna exchanged glances.
    
    Tuxedo Mask stormed up to the woman, "Who are you?" He grabbed her,
    
    and received a nasty shock.He staggered backwards, then fell in a heap.
    
    Mercury went to his aid."Who are you?" he asked again.
    
    "A friend,"she said.She looked at him with her blank eyes, her
    
    head tilted.Her long white hair brushed the ground."I know you're
    
    worried about your friend, but getting your shorts in a bunch is not going
    
    to help her."Her smile was sad and sweet."You have to trust me..and
    
    Serena.I know what I'm doing."
    
    "She's all right then?" Mars asked desperately.
    
    "I can't tell you anything more than that this won't last much longer."
    
    "Promise?" Mars looked ready to bust into tears.Life without
    
    Serena was empty.
    
    "No, I can't make any promises.There will be suffering, and pain,
    
    and fear and more pain before this is over-"
    
    "But you said it wouldn't last much longer."Venus pointed out.
    
    "True, but your opinion of 'much longer' may be different than
    
    mine.Now you have to go back to the old port."
    
    "What? Why?" Jupiter asked, still unsure of what to think.
    
    "There's trouble."Marie Lune backed away from the Sailor Scouts.
    
    She gave Tux one last sad smile before bounding into the air and into a
    
    back flip.When she landed, she was no longer Marie Lune, but the white
    
    lioness.She leapt away.
    
     
    
    The scouts all congregated once again at the old port.Marie Lune
    
    had said there was trouble.Where was a better place for trouble?None
    
    other than the old port.So there they were.
    
    'What kind of trouble?' Tux surveyed the scene.There was none.
    
    'Maybe that's it?It's too quiet.'"What do suppose she meant by
    
    trouble?"he called down to the scouts.
    
    "I don't know, but I'm getting a ton of negative vibes." Mars responded.
    
    "Me too," Sailor Mercury.She taped away on her still demented
    
    mini-computer.Her eyes widened, "These readings are off the scale!
    
    There!" She pointed.
    
    Suddenly a blood curdling scream cut through the air.All the
    
    Sailor Scouts turned as shadows moves between two buildings.They all ran
    
    towards the figures,but stopped short as a bright light blinded them.
    
    As Tux peered into the light, he could see a woman laying within the grasp
    
    of something else.Also another woman.
    
    'Could it be one of the weird sisters?'he asked himself.
    
    'Could it be Serena?'
    
    The light slowly dimmed, and the woman's body slumped to the floor.
    
    Her attacker straightened and looked directly at Tuxedo Mask, her
    
    identity hidden by shadows.She stepped into the light.It was Serena,
    
    but it looked even less like Serena than before.Her eyes were as those of
    
    a cat's, and her nails were curved and raged like claws.Her coat was no
    
    longer black but of white fur.As were her boots.She wore a blue shin
    
    length skirt and a low cutblouse.The black crescent remained on her
    
    forehead.
    
    "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show." she said,
    
    sarcastic sweetness dripping in her voice."I got so hungry waiting
    
    around, I just had to have a snack.I didn't even notice your entrance."
    
    She laughed softly and licked her lips.The gesture made Tux shiver.
    
    'How does she do that?' he shook his head.'When she's around, I
    
    turn to mush.'
    
    'You're so pathetic.'the voice in his head told him.'She knows
    
    your weaknesses and she going to use them against you.'
    
    "What did you do to her?"Venus called, from the woman's side.
    
    "I took her energy.I told you I got hungry." Serena wined.
    
    "She's dead."Venus moved away from the body."When an innocent
    
    gets hurt, that where I draw the line.VENUS LOVE CHAIN AND CIRCLE!!"
    
    Serena leapt into the air dodging the attack and , in a rather
    
    familiar move, back flipped and landed as a white wolf.
    
    'Where have I seen that before?'Tux asked himself as the wolf
    
    looked steely at Venus as she prepared to attack again.The wolf eluded
    
    Venus' attack again, and bounded towards the blond.Venus had no time to
    
    step out of the animal's way, and was pined down beneath the snarling wolf.
    
    The others cried out and prepared of their own attacks.
    
    "MERCURY ICE BUBBLES FREEZE!!"The wolf jumped out of the way,
    
    amazingly pulling Venus with her.The wolf turned to Tuxedo Mask.She
    
    snarled and hurdled herself at him.
    
    "MARS FIRE BALLS CHARGE!!"The wolf and Tuxedo Mask were bombarded
    
    with fire balls.Tux was knocked back, and fell hard onto the ground.The
    
    wolf was barely touched.She back flipped back into Serena and was at his
    
    side in a second.
    
    "You all right?" she asked softly in his ear. "You don't look
    
    well." Her breath was warm against his skin.
    
    'Her lips are so close, if only I could kiss her.' He slowly raised
    
    his head towards hers.
    
    'NO! That's just what she wants, you fool!'
    
    "Darling, what are you doing?" Rubeus' voice silenced his thoughts.
    
    At first Serena didn't budge.She remained next to Tux, breathing her
    
    hot breath on his face.Then is the blink of an eye, she was in Rubeus'
    
    arms."Was I interrupting something?" he asked.
    
    "Jealous?" She arched an eyebrow."You have nothing to worry
    
    about.You know what they say," she pressed her lips to his, hard.The
    
    smacking sounds reached even Tux's pounding ears."keep your friends close
    
    and your enemies closer."
    
    "If you treat a friend like this, I don't think I want to know how
    
    you treat an enemy."Rubeus panted.
    
    "Who said I was your friend?"
    
     
    
    Here's another nasty cliff hanger.Ha ha ha!!


	8. The Final Chapter

The Class Act: The Final Chapter
    
    Disclaimer: still don't own Sailormoon.
    
     
    
    Sorry about the mix up with Chapter 7, I've fixed it and here's the next chapter.
    
    Thanx for letting me know Eva!!!I really appreciate it.
    
     
    
    Remember what happened last time?Then read on.
    
     
    
     
    
    The world seemed to stop revolving.Rubeus blinked, not exactly
    
    absorbing what she'd just said.Not that he had time to, because Serena
    
    jammed a fist into his gut.He spluttered as he sailed through the air.
    
    The only sound was Rubeus's body ricocheting of a stone wall.Nobody
    
    moved as Rubeus sagged to the ground.Serena stood over him, her face
    
    distorted with disgust.
    
    "What?" he managed to gasp.His hands held his stomach where a
    
    large burn marked his vest.Serena ignored him and turned back to the
    
    Sailor Scouts.She walked towards them, throwing off the fur coat.It
    
    landed next to Rubeus and burst in to blue flames.Rubeus jumped away.
    
    "I'm sorry it had to be this way," she said sincerely."But I had
    
    no other choice."
    
    Silence.Tux rubbed his eyes, having lost his mask in all the
    
    excitement.He couldn't believe what he was seeing.Serena sighed, and
    
    looked down.Behind her Rubeus was slowly getting to his feet.
    
    "Down boy!" she said throwing some kind of fire ball at him.He
    
    slumped down again.Turning back to Tux and the others, she said, "I was
    
    playing with Rubeus, trying to learn the secrets of the Mega Moon.Do you
    
    think anyone in her right mind would see anything in that sleaze miester."
    
    (is that how you spell it, it's not mister, I know that.)
    
    'What did she say?'
    
    'You know very well what she said, Tux old boy!' his thoughts ran
    
    circles around him, only making him dizzier that before.Serena had never
    
    been evil, but was only acting,pretending to be in love with Rubeus.She
    
    was trying to learn about the Megaverse-but what if she's lying now?
    
    What if this is the act?"How can we tell it's really you, and you're not
    
    just playing us for saps?!?Like you say that you played with Rubeus. "
    
    Tuxedo Mask asked.
    
    "Darien..." she turned her attention to him.She clasped her hands
    
    in front of her, "I don't know, you're just going to have to trust me."
    
    Her voice was pleading."How else are we going to fight Rubeus and the
    
    others."
    
    "Start by telling us who the 'others' are." Mars said steely,
    
    keeping her distance, as did the other scouts.
    
    "Well there's Emerald, I don't like her much, nobody does, except
    
    Sapphire.She has the most annoying voice, even worse than mine-yes that's
    
    possible, Raye!-and her laugh, don't make me go into that.She is so
    
    crunching on Prince Diamond, I haven't met him, but he sounds a little off
    
    his rocker." she paused for breath."Sapphire is Diamond's younger
    
    brother, I don't get what he sees in Emerald, but word is he and Prisma
    
    used to go together.Big tension between them two, that's for sure..."
    
    she rambled on and on gossiping about relationships gone awry.The Sailor
    
    Scouts and Tux all exchanged glances.
    
    Tuxedo Mask walked up to Serena, and looked deep into her eyes.
    
    They were as clear and blue and trusting as they had been the first day
    
    they'd met.He was about to wrap his arms around her when a thought
    
    occurred to him.
    
    "How...when .... where did you get all those powers?"Serena
    
    smiled, and looked at her feet.
    
    "They were given to me when I joined the megaverse.Because of
    
    the silver crystal I was able to use the negative energy without becoming
    
    evil, though it was very dangerous, I figured saving the future of this
    
    world was worth it.That you all were worth it."she said turning to her
    
    friends."Using this," the staff she used against them the pervious
    
    battles appeared in her hand, "I harnessed the energy of the dark crystal
    
    and became this...."She gestured with the hands.
    
    "Who is Marie Lune?"Mercury ventured, she stepped up to Serena,
    
    but did not touch her.
    
    "Me."
    
    "How?" Mercury asked.
    
    "It's a power called shape shifting, I can change my shape to so I
    
    canlook and sound like anything, anyone I want to.I'll show you." With
    
    that she leapt into the air as she had earlierwhen she landed she looked
    
    exactly like Sailor Mercury.The real Mercury nearly fell over.Serena,
    
    as Mercury, giggled, then executed another of those impossible, turned
    
    possible, flips, landing as Marie Lune.
    
    Venus came and stood close to Marie Lune, looked her over and
    
    asked:"Why?Why did you come to us as Marie Lune?"
    
    "Because you needed it.Because I love you guys."Serena changed
    
    back into 'herself' then threw her arms around Venus' neck in an airway
    
    crushing hug."I'm sorry!I'm so sorry!"Serena and the others found
    
    themselves in tears.
    
    "Are you coming home?" Tux broke in. 'Please, oh please, god let
    
    her say yes.'Serena merely nodded, unable to say a word.
    
    "Tuxedo Mask," she looked at him, her eyes sad.She walked to him,
    
    his heart was beating a mile a minute.He went to put his arms around her,
    
    to hold her as he's wanted to for a long,long time.She moved out of
    
    reach, "I've had a long time to think about us.I... you were right, we
    
    can't base the present, on the past.Our love may have bloomed once, but
    
    as you said, it dies too."
    
    'What is she saying?' Tux tried to grasp what Serena, the woman he
    
    loved, was telling him.
    
    'She dumping us,' even that annoying voice in his head was
    
    dumbfounded. 'I can't believe she's dumping us.'
    
    "But Serena, what about the Silver Millennium?What about...?" Tux
    
    asked pathetically.
    
    "Tuxedo-- Darien, now is a gift, that's why it's called the
    
    present.You taught me that, you showed me that the past and future does
    
    not exist.The Silver Millennium was a long time ago, and we are not the
    
    same people we were then...You were right, I was just, oh, I don't know,
    
    out of it or something'.I've matured allot, or at least I hope I have.
    
    But I do hope that we can still be friends and fight side by side, like
    
    before we knew about our past.Only you would be nicer to me."
    
    Serena smiled at him then turned and faced the unconscious Rubeus.
    
    She walked to his side and called his name.Rubeus began to stir.He
    
    opened his eyes slowly, taking in the scene.Seeing Serena he attempted
    
    to get up, with no success.Serena put her arm around his shoulders and
    
    helped him.
    
    "Rubeus, it's time to face those demons of yours."she told him.
    
    They vanished into thin air.
    
     
    
     
    
    Serena returned a few hours later to find an empty lot.The Sailor
    
    Scouts had gone, leaving no traces, save a few burn marks here and there.
    
    Having successfully converted Rubeus to the good side, Serena was free to
    
    become herself again.But would the Sailor Scouts and the rest of the
    
    people she cared for accept her again?Would they understand?
    
    She hadn't thought Rubeus' conversion would be over so quickly,
    
    that was why she confronted her friends that night.Rubeus was apparently
    
    ready to give up.After all, the Four Weird Sisters had vanished (of
    
    course Rubeus didn't know that Serena had talked them into leaving).He
    
    had nothing left to stay for, Prince Diamond was about ready to have him
    
    exterminated anyway.It took a couple hours convincing that life in the
    
    present is way better than in the future.He could be a free man or a dead
    
    man.He chose the former rather than the latter.
    
    Serena walked slowly.She was back in the street clothes she'd
    
    been wearing the night she officially joined the Megaverse for every one to
    
    see.She pondered how she was going explain the extremely long absence to
    
    her friends and family.And Serena had no idea how to "convince" them (I
    
    prefer the term convince better than the word brainwash.Brainwash sounds
    
    to dishonest, but as long as you get the idea)that she was never gone, or
    
    at least that there was an acceptable alibi.
    
    'Hey maybe Renee could help'she thought as she stopped to watch
    
    the sunrise over the lake.'That Luna Ball thing may have the answer!' She
    
    wandered aimlessly for a few minutes before she realized where she was.
    
    She found herself directly in front of the park bench where she had spent
    
    so many happy afternoons with Darien and Scott (remember him?).She
    
    heaved a heavy sigh and sat looking at the glittering water, recalling fond
    
    memories of those days. How they seemed so long ago.'Did I make a
    
    mistake, in "joining" the megamoon?' she asked herself.
    
    "Oh well time to face the music." she said aloud.
    
    "Talking to yourself again?" a voice asked.
    
    Serena turned abruptly to see Darien standing behind her.
    
    "So any luck, uh you know, with Rubeus?" he asked taking a seat.
    
    "Well if I hadn't I wouldn't be here would I."'Oh god he's so
    
    close.I can smell him.It's been such a long time.If only I could hug
    
    him and kiss him, and be his again...'she thought, desperately trying to
    
    restrain herself.
    
    'Get a hold of yourself girl!' little miss practical-sensible told
    
    her.'You can't work together if he thinks you're still in love with him.'
    
    Serena knew the voice was right, but still, she felt the yearning for him
    
    she always had.
    
    "So you're uh, coming back home I expect." he said looking out over
    
    the water.Serena wasn't sure be she thought she herd his voice waiver.
    
    "Yes, if you'll have me." she returned.
    
    "We'll have you.The others, Raye and Mina and them, they love you
    
    too much to hate you, or even be that angry at you."
    
    'I know they will,' Serena thought, 'but will you?'She looked at
    
    his profile and felt a pain in her chest.She tried to convince herself to
    
    forget it, to ignore it.He didn't feel the same way anymore.The world
    
    was in danger and she couldn't let her feelings affect their relationship,
    
    as partners in crime (yeah I know it's corny but it works so well ^_^).It
    
    would be painful and difficult, but it was important."So how is
    
    everything?" she asked trying to fill the silence.
    
    "Define 'everything.' "
    
    "Life, Andrew, Molly, Melvin, my family."she paused."Do Luna
    
    and Artimis know? about me, that is?"
    
    "Life's all right, full of surprises, no thanks to you," he smiled.
    
    "Well Andrew's pretty worried about you, as are Molly and Melvin." he said
    
    taking on a serious tone."Your family, devastated, have you noticed the
    
    missing person posters up all over the place?I have know idea about your
    
    new friend, what's his face -uh...."
    
    "Scott."She knew he knew Scott's name. 'For some reason he's
    
    trying to be nonchalant.'"Well I'm gonna make it better somehow."
    
    "You sound very sure of yourself."Darien observed.
    
    "Well what can I say?People love me, everybody does.It
    
    shouldn't be too hard to make it up."she forced a grin. 'You don't love
    
    me.'she thought."Well I'm bushed.Saving the universe really takes a
    
    lot out of a person." she said standing.
    
    "No, stay-" Darien jumped up and grabbed her, but let go
    
    immediately as he prepared for the rush of painful images that bombarded
    
    his mind whenever her got too close, he hadn't been getting them while she
    
    was 'evil', butto his surprise the only memories stirred in him were
    
    happy ones of 'the good old days.'Darien blinked.
    
    "Darien, umm, I really should go." Serena pulled farther away.
    
    "Serena, do you know what this means?" Serena raised her eyebrows.
    
    "Uh, Darien, do I know what what means?" she asked looking at him,
    
    a worried expression on her face.
    
    "I didn't feel them, everything's going to be alright!"
    
    "Didn't feel what?Darien what's going on, what's the matter with you?"
    
    "The images, the pain, the future, I didn't see any of them.
    
    You're safe now!"Darien felt light headed; he was giddy.He continued
    
    excitedly: "You're out of danger, don't you see, we can be together now."
    
    He wrapped her in his arms, only to have her pull away, that's when reality
    
    struck.'She's over you, remember?' the voice in his head said.'She
    
    doesn't love you anymore. You pushed her too far to reach her again.'
    
    "Darien, what happened?What's all this about?"She looked into
    
    his deep eyes, as he stepped farther back.
    
    "Nothing, sorry.I guess I lost it for a second." he said, giving
    
    an uneasy laugh.He shook his head, and began to walk away.
    
    "Darien, that wasn't nothing and I want to know about it."She
    
    stood in his way with her hands on her hips.Darien couldn't help but
    
    laugh at her take-charge manner.'Did he say we could be together again?
    
    or was it my imagination?'
    
    'I don't know but I intend to find out!' the voice in her head
    
    stated firmly."Spill it,all of it."
    
    "You wouldn't understand."
    
    "Try me."
    
    "It's a long story, you just said you were tired, right?You
    
    should get home."
    
    "I'm wide awake now, you're not backing out of this one Shields!"
    
    (that's his last name)
    
    'She got you,' he said to himself. 'What do we do?'
    
    'What else can we do.You gotta be a straight shooter, do ya got
    
    it?Tell her the TRUTH!!'he convinced himself.
    
    "Maybe you better sit down."
    
     
    
    "Darien, you have to make up your mind.Either you want me or not,
    
    because you can't keep doing this to me." Serena told him sternly.They
    
    sat on the bench as the sun was coming up, Darien had just finished
    
    explaining his actions and so forth, that had to do with the visions of
    
    Serena's death."What I don't get, is why you didn't tell me when all
    
    this started, it would have made a lot of things easier, for all of us."
    
    "I didn't' tell you, well, because.... Well, would it have made a
    
    difference."
    
    "What do you mean?"
    
    "Would you have cared if you're life was in danger?"
    
    "Well, no, but..."
    
    "Well no, but no!"Darien heaved a sigh."It was a hard decision
    
    to make but I made it and there is nothing we can do about it now.
    
    Besides, it was all for the best anyway."
    
    "How's that?"
    
    "You realized that... you don't..." he cleared his throat, "you
    
    don't feel that same way you did before." he got up and strode away, not
    
    wanting Serena to see the pain in his face.Serena sat and watched him go.
    
    It was a few seconds before she saw what was happening.
    
    Serena ran to catch up with him.She spun him to face her, and
    
    planted her lips on his.She wrapped her arms around his neck and held
    
    him close. It wasn't too long before he responded.They stood in the light
    
    of the rising sun and made up for all the hurt and pain that had been
    
    caused.
    
    When their lips parted, they clasped hands and walked away from the
    
    past and into their future.Together.
    
     
    
    THE END
    
     


	9. Epilogue, The Final Chapter

The Class Act 
    
    Epilogue, The final chapter. 
    
    No really it is. 
    
    By kattia_rose
    
     
    
    If you remember what happened last time, Serena and Darien are back 
    
    together. But we don't know what happened to Serena's family or Scott or 
    
    what. So this is what this FINAL FINAL chapter is about. It resolves any 
    
    unanswered questions asked during the course of the story. 
    
    If you still have questions after this then please email me( my email is kitty_kat84@go.com ) or review
    
     
    
    Remember: all notes occur throughout the story.This should not surprise you!
    
     
    
     
    
    Serena walked into the house as her mother was setting the table 
    
    for breakfast. 
    
    "Hi Mom," Serena said cautiously as she stepped into the kitchen. 
    
    Her mother froze, plate in one hand, toast in the other. She turned slowly 
    
    to Serena. Irene (I think that's what her name is, I know that Chibiusa 
    
    calls her Ikako-mama or something like that, lets call her Irene) let the 
    
    plate and toast slip from her hands. The plate smashed at her feet as she 
    
    burst into tears. 
    
    "Serena, you're home!" Serena couldn't breath. She wasn't sure if 
    
    it was because she was so happy to be home or because her mother was so 
    
    happy she was home. Serena's mother pulled away as her father and brother 
    
    entered the room. Serena experienced the same feeling while embracing her 
    
    father and brother. Ken looked her sternly in the eyes and opened his 
    
    mouth to ask her a question Serena could not answer honestly. 
    
    'Uh, oh, I don't know what I'm going to say.' Serena thought. 
    
    'Well you should have thought of that before going in, dummy.' she 
    
    scolded herself. Lucky for Serena her father said nothing; he burst into 
    
    tears and held his daughter close. 
    
    "I've missed you all so much." Serena muttered as the sobbing 
    
    became contagious. "I'm so sorry. 
    
    "Hey what all the commotion-" Renee broke off as she walked 
    
    sleepily into the room. "Serena..." 
    
    Serena looked at her future daughter, and could say nothing. 
    
    'How terrible am I?' she asked herself. She slowly knelt and 
    
    looked into Renee's tear filled eyes. 
    
    "Renee... I..." 'God, I can bearly look her in the face. I'm 
    
    such a terrible person, how could I do this to her?' She felt the pain that 
    
    she'd felt for Darien, that had lifted, return. 
    
    Renee said through trembling lips: "Where have you been? All this 
    
    time?" 
    
    "Renee, I'm sorry, I couldn't, I had to... please understand! I 
    
    had no choice. I'm so, so sorry!" 
    
     
    
    "Did you patch everything up with you're family?" Lita asked as 
    
    they sat around the table at Raye's temple. 
    
    "Yeah, it was really tough. At first I thought I was going to 
    
    have to tell them about you know..." Serena looked up as Chad opened the 
    
    door slowly. She finished her sentence by pointing to her locket on the 
    
    front of her uniform. 
    
    "Uh hi Raye," Chad stuttered. "Just stopped by to say it's like 
    
    wicked cool to have you back, Serena. I'm really glad you're OK an' 
    
    everything." 
    
    "Chad, that's very nice of you to stop by and everything, but can't 
    
    you ever knock?..." Raye said in that voice. (Come on you know the one 
    
    I'm talking about) 
    
    'Poor Chad, Raye's really chewing him out.' Serena shook her head. 
    
    "Raye, it's not the end of the world. Relax a little, Chad didn't do 
    
    anything! It wouldn't hurt to be nice to someone for once. " Raye turned 
    
    to look at her, ice in her eyes. "OOPS, it seems I was wrong. It does 
    
    hurt." Serena giggled as she rolled out of Raye's reach. "You better 
    
    escape while you can Chad," she called to him. 
    
    "Welcome back Serena." Chad ran for it. 
    
    "Come on Raye, I was just kidding. Can't you take a joke. Oh 
    
    that's right-- I'm sorry I couldn't help it!" Serena covered her head. 
    
    "Maybe I should have stayed with Rubeus." 
    
    Raye stopped dead in her tracks. Amy, Mina, Lita and Renee, who 
    
    were all there too, froze. "Why did you say that?" Raye asked, her voice 
    
    trembling. 
    
    "Um, no reason. Maybe we should get back to whatever we were 
    
    doing." Serena smiled sheepishly as she sat back down. 
    
    'I didn't mean to say it like that, it was supposed to be a joke. 
    
    I wish I could take it back.' Serena said to herself. 
    
    "Right so where were we?" Lita asked, taking her seat nest to Serena. 
    
    "Serena was about to tell us how she convinced her parents of .. 
    
    what had happened, her absence, and all that." Amy put in. 
    
    "Right, oh yeah. I didn't have to tell my parents about the Mega 
    
    verse or any of that. I'm just grounded for a month or so." Lita laughed 
    
    at that. "It's that or having Renee brainwash the entire world." 
    
    "What are you going to tell everybody? Like you said, you have to 
    
    convince nearly the entire world." Mina asked. 
    
    "Mom's going to call the police chief in charge of the 
    
    investigation, or something. And I now I have a reputation as a runaway." 
    
    Serena sighed. "And hopefully everything with go back to normal. As 
    
    normal as normal can be." 
    
    "Your parents just accepted that you ran way?" Amy asked, her 
    
    eyebrows raised high. 
    
    "Nope, but Serena didn't give them anything else. They'll have to 
    
    believe it." Renee spoke up. 
    
    "Listen guys," Serena said getting to her feet. "I have to go and 
    
    you make up with people and so on. I'll catch you later." 
    
     
    
    Serena walked into the arcade, and looked around for any familiar 
    
    faces, she saw some girls from school she'd spoke with that day at school. 
    
    'Ah man, that reminds me, I've got a lot of work ahead of me.' 
    
    Serena groaned inwardly. 
    
    'It's the price you have to pay for saving the universe.. yet 
    
    again.' She told herself. 
    
    'Right indeed.' Serena nodded her head and headed toward the counter. 
    
    "Hey Andrew, I'll have the usual." Serena said looking for some 
    
    sign of Darien, just to make things easier, to back her up. 
    
    "Sure thing-" Andrew stopped and stared at the blond. 
    
    'He looks like he's seen a ghost. OOPS, he has, me! I completely 
    
    forgot that Andrew would be someone who might worry a little about me.' 
    
    "Hi Andrew, how's it going?" She asked casually. Andrew rubbed his 
    
    eyes, then pinched himself. "No you're not dreaming, silly." Serena 
    
    giggled. Andrew ran around the counter, and grabbed Serena by the 
    
    shoulders. 
    
    "God Serena, what, what happened to you? Where have you been. The 
    
    whole town was worried sick, not to mention me and Darien." 
    
    "You .. and Darien where worried about me?" Serena asked amazed. 
    
    "Duh! Without you I could barely keep the arcade open." Andrew 
    
    smiled teasingly at her. "I'm glad you're back." 
    
    "Thank you," Serena held Andrews hand for a moment then dropped it 
    
    as Molly slowly stepped into the room. "I have to go. Thank you, again." 
    
     
    
    "Molly," Serena walked up to her. 'She was so upset this morning, 
    
    will she talk to me now?' "Hi," She steered her tearing friend to a 
    
    table. "Molly, will you please talk to me, please?" 
    
    "Serena, I don' believe that you ran away. You would never do 
    
    that. I know you, I can't, I won't accept that. And even if you did, how 
    
    could you not tell me or someone? You're not that responsible, but you'd 
    
    tell someone if you were going anywhere, to the candy shop, or the USA. 
    
    How could you not come to me with... with whatever's going on? Can't you 
    
    trust me? I would never tell anyone anything if you didn't want me to. Is 
    
    it me, did I do anything? Did I say something to hurt you, if I did I 
    
    didn't mean to. I'm sorry Serena, I'm sorry. Please forgive me." Serena 
    
    wrapped her arms around her oldest and closest friend and soothed her as 
    
    she sobbed into Serena's shoulder. 
    
    "It wasn't you. I promise." Serena whispered. 
    
     
    
    'OK, so that's Mom and Dad and Sammy, and Molly, and she'll tell 
    
    Melvin, and Andrew. Who's left?' Serena counted off all the people she'd 
    
    made up with and all that. "Scott." 
    
    Serena made her way to the university, she looked over the campus 
    
    with eyes wide for Scott or any of his friends that she'd met. No success. 
    
    She went to his apartment, and found nothing but a giant mess. With 
    
    little hope left in her heart, Serena ran down to the lake. She didn't 
    
    see her tall, fair, athletic, hunky friend. She sat at the water's edge 
    
    for some time. 
    
    "It's getting late," she said aloud to herself, "Should be home 
    
    before Mom and Dad get any more mad at me than they are already." She 
    
    stood slowly up, as she turned she saw a man huddled on "their" bench. 
    
    'Was he there before?' she asked herself. After watching him for a moment, 
    
    she decided he was not the happiest of persons. 'Probably homeless.' She 
    
    waked over to him as sat down on the other side of the bench. 
    
    "Hi," Serena said carefully. The man didn't seem to notice her 
    
    presence. She leaned back and followed his gaze out to the water. 
    
    "Beautiful evening huh?" The man did not respond. Serena began a 
    
    one-sided conversation with this man, the topic spanning from weather, to 
    
    school, from her friends, to her home. 
    
    "Serena," the man finally said, after listening for a while. 
    
    Serena hadn't even realized he'd turned and looked at her. 
    
    "Yes?" Serena looked at him for a moment, then she said: "How did 
    
    you know my name?" She moved closer to the man. She peered deeply into 
    
    the shadows of his face, into familiar golden eyes. Her hand flew to her 
    
    mouth. 
    
    "Serena? What, how.... where..." Scott shook his head in 
    
    disbelief. "My God, are you really here, or is it my imagination. A 
    
    dream? Have I gone insane, am I seeing things?" Scott dropped his head 
    
    in his hands. 
    
    "What happened to you?" Serena asked looking him over. He hadn't 
    
    shaved for weeks, his closed looked really to walk away. He didn't smell 
    
    that great either. "What have you done to yourself?" 
    
    "Where were you all this time? Everyone's falling apart because of 
    
    you; don't ask me what happened!" Scott voice rose. "What is all this 
    
    about, what happened that night at the old port?" 
    
    "Shh!" She looked around nervously in case anyone was within 
    
    hearing distance. "I can't explain it. I just had to go away for a little 
    
    while. But I'm back now. And I wont be going anywhere for a long, long 
    
    time." She tried to wrap her arms around him. She felt a pang in her 
    
    chest as he pulled away. 
    
    "That isn't good enough!" He boomed, standing up. "Is it because 
    
    you're Sailormoon, and you were on a mission of some sort?" 
    
    Serena froze. 'I hope nobody's around to hear this.' "Yes, I was 
    
    on a mission. I was saving the world... AGAIN!" She was beginning to yell 
    
    too. 'All the things I do for you, and this is the thanks I get?' 
    
    'You tell him girl!!' she told herself. "I was--" 
    
    "You were what?" Scott interrupted. "Your scout friends didn't 
    
    know anything. Why didn't you tell them?" 
    
    "It's complicated." Serena sighed. "I can't explain it, I would if 
    
    I could, but I don't think you'd understand." 
    
    "Try me!" 
    
    Serena heaved another large sigh, and tried to think of how to put 
    
    her feelings into words. "I don't see how it matters what I was doing. 
    
    I'm home now, safe and sound. I'm still who I am, Sailormoon or not. 
    
    Isn't that what's important?" Scott sat back, he looked up into the sky 
    
    He seemed to be considering her words. 
    
    "So," he said finally, "You're Sailormoon huh?" Serena laughed and 
    
    threaded her arm through his. They stood and walked out of the park, 
    
    vowing forever to be friends. 
    
     
    
    THE END 
    
    NO REALLY, I MEAN IT THIS TIME!! 
    
     


End file.
